One of my dogs, a 12-yr-old Lab-mix, died suddenly this past Labor Day, 2011. She seemed completly normal that evening when I’m sure I gave both dogs a Exer-Hides rawhide before bed as that’s our customary practice. The dogs woke me at 4 a.m. wanting out, and it wasn’t until the following morning that I learned one of my dogs had been vomitting a LOT the previous night, then losing her stool, and she was missing. I eventually found her lying in a pasture too weak to stand.

Long story short, within 3 days our dog’s condition had deteriorated to the point of having to be put down. The cause of death was assumed to be liver-related as the dog had no known problems other than having been on liver supplements for the previous year and a half as a result of weight loss and abnormal liver enzymes, if that’s the correct term, on testing. Her liver enzymes/numbers were the only abnormality on testing over her 3-day stay at the vet, and her weight, until that time, had been stable for over a year.

After reading this website, I cannot help but wonder if Exer-Hides played a role in our dog’s death; however, our other dog who would have eaten everything the same remains in excellent health.

Thank you for the above information. If anyone has any more information on the sick or deceased dogs’ symptoms, I would be very interested in learning this. Our dogs are part of our family!!

Just read this and thanks for the info. MY lab pup was chewing a large rawhide bone from this manufacturer and is now having bad bowl movements and struggling with incontinence. I am furious and will never buy from walmart again. To think a $6 dollar package could kill my investment and family member. What a joke. Dont buy the rawhides!

Personally, I think the number of dogs sick this year is well over one thousand from the number of websites I’ve visited where I have seen dogs that are ill or that have died being discussed. I am almost certain it is something the Chinese are feeding the poultry used for their treats.

Did you know, according to Wikipedia and a New York Times article, that the Chinese fed Melamine to livestock? Melamine, as you may know, was the non-listed ingredient responsible for the pet food recall a few years ago. If you haven’t, you should search for “Melamine” on Wikipedia and read the article.

Melamine is a principal ingredient in making Formica countertops and causes kidney failure if eaten. The Chinese were also caught putting Melamine into kids’ milk and infant formula.

The only truly safe treat is one that you make yourself or that you buy from a company you trust. We make and sell our own chicken jerky, TriPom Chews, and only buy from other “Mom & Pop” sized treat makers that we have met or spoke with.

I agree with Ginny and Anne….the look a deaf Dal gives is genuine and from their heart and soul….its truly a gift from God!

Well I begged him and begged him not to get a Dalmatian because I had heard all the stories about how hyper they are and how they can be aggressive …..all the bad things. I have birds and was scared I would not be able to watch him. Well we went over to see him the first day he got him and I fell in LOVE big time.

So I was the puppy sitter and let me tell you. I have had to eat my words over so many times. This dog was WONDERFUL!!!!!! He doesn’t have an aggressive blood cell in his body. He is amazing and so loyal. Even with all the time I have taken care of him while my son was working and in school the two of them have a bond I can’t even begin to explain.

My other son has a little Chihuahua and the Dalmatian would take toys over to her to get her to play with him and he was so gentle with her I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t have any dogs of my own and never really thought about having any I just enjoyed taking care of my son’s dogs.

Well Lisa had this past litter and she had them all sold before and a few days after they were born. I keep in touch with her to let her know how my son’s dog is doing all the time. Well she wrote me all upset because she thought that one of her puppies was deaf and she didn’t know what to do. She DIDN’T want to put it down.

Well she took all the puppies to get their BEAR testing and sure enough Dottie was totally deaf. She was all upset because the Dr. said she should put her down. Well I looked and looked at pictures of that sweet little girl and just fell in love with that beautiful little face. I asked my son’s vet what he thought about me getting a deaf Dalmatian and he said “it is related to my son’s dog. I said ya he said well do I really need to tell you….. You have done so good with him and he is such a wonderful dog you should defiantly get her.”

He said deaf dogs make wonderful pets and the breeder you are getting her from has some well put together puppies and you will do fine. So I talked it over with my family and my son that has the other Dalmatian and he thought it would be good for both of them and me.

So I told Lisa please don’t put her down. If she didn’t mind letting me take her and see how she does with my son’s Dalmatian because I think he would be great with her. Heavy on her heart Sweet Lisa let me get Dottie. We have only had her 12 days and she is do bonded with me and this is what I thought would be the hard part. She is so so smart.

Her big brother (my son’s dog) has taught her things that I could have never done like how to not bite too hard and how to play nice. Oh and how to share. Now if you can believe that him being a male has his bone and she comes over and chews on the other end and works her way up to where she is chewing the bone right next to his mouth. To me this is AMAZING!!! He will take toys over to her and hang them in her face to get her to play tug of war with him.

She has already learned to sit (thanks to Lisa that started this with her) and lay down and gives you her paw and yesterday she learned to roll over. Oh and we are on 2 days now of no potty in the house. I don’t think she could be doing any better. We are so in love with her and who knows what wonderful things she will do in her life but she deserves to have the chance to be all she can be. She is going to be a wonderful addition to our family.

I think they all deserve a chance to the RIGHT homes. They need to be in a home where they are going to be part of the family not an outside dog. They need to have that bond with the family and trust and know they are always going to be loved. You are right Dalmatians are PEOPLE dogs and are not dogs you can just leave at home alone all day or alone in the back yard day after day. They need to have lots of exercise and company. I wish I could save every deaf one that comes along because they sure are special in so many ways.

I hope people will read all of this and if they have the time and place in their hearts to take in a little deaf dog they sure won’t be sorry. I agree with Ariel— shame on the AKC for not allowing them to compete. They should be accepted and they should be extra proud of them for being able to accomplish all that they do.

Lisa I can’t thank you enough for letting this little angel come into our lives that will be changed for the better for ever. I feel honored to have this special little girl in my life and everyone I talk to I tell them how special deaf dogs are. I hope people will not shy away from them and realized just how great they are.

She’s right, so many folks leave their Dals outside w/o proper socialization. Dalmatians are inside dogs and must be around people, especially the deaf ones. Deaf Dals are known as velcro dogs and must bond with their owner(s).

I also think alot of the problem with the Dal’s unfounded bad reputation is b/c people adopt them and forget that they were bred to run, run and run. They must have lots of playtime and plenty of exercise. Dals love obedience training and it’s a wonderful way to exercise them physically and mentally.

Thanks for this blog. Hopeully it will help decrease the number of precious deaf Dals getting euthanized.

Patricia

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I’m also perplexed by the ‘bad dog’ reputation that so many people seem to associate with Dals. I think it is because they are such ‘people’ dogs and definitely don’t do well in an environment where they are not allowed a lot on human interaction.

Also I would like to add that 11 months ago I was contacted by a guy who wanted a Dalmatian puppy and in our conversation he had told me that his mother was begging him not to buy a Dalmatian because of the bad name that dal’s have, she had heard all kinds of horror stories. Of course in the end he didn’t listen to his mom and he bought a male puppy from me. Once his mother met the puppy she instantly fell in love with the breed. Today his mother owns her very own dalmatian puppy; Dottie Mae, who she loves with all of her heart. This just goes to show that a deaf Dalmatian is no different than a normal hearing Dalmatian, with the proper training.

It’s a shame it all started when breeders focused on perfect spots, not for the many other wonderful qualities a Dalmatian has. Many people blame the Disney movie 101 Dalmatians, but it was irresponsible Dalmatian breedings.

If a perfect spotted Dalmatian is deaf, an irresponsible breeder can breed it, have a litter and if just one hearing, “show quality” Dal happens, the irresponsible breeders have in all good concience, DCA’s permission (in their Position Statement on Deafness) to euthanize the deaf ones that will most likely be born in the litter.

Thanks to all the wonderful deaf Dalmatian advocates, many breeders are beginning to realize there is no way deafness will ever be ‘bred out’ and instead of killing them, people want to devote the time and energy that the deaf Dal deserves.

Dalmatians were so uniquely recognized, the firemen used them to run out in front of the horses and clear the streets for the approaching fire engine and protect the horses. The horse drawn fire engines had bells not sirens so I’m not sure they were bred for their deafness although it is commonly believed. Once gas engines with sirens came along, the Dals were mostly mascots.

With blogs like yours, deaf Dalmatians finally get recognized for the wonderful companion animals they are and will no doubt save the lives of many.

Sincerely,

Ariel O’Brien

All hunting dogs and field competition dogs are dual trained (voice and hand signals), so why should Dalmatians, born deaf be condemned to death as a matter of course because of such an affliction that is so easy to overcome?

I am an advocate for deaf education and the right people owning them. They aren’t hard to train, maybe they are easier because they really focus on their owners. They have so much love to give and like Lottie Dot and Dora in Patricia’s program, we aspire to teach others of the wonders of letting a deaf dog own you.

Sincerely,

Ariel O’Brien

“WATCH ME”

Put a treat close and in front of your dog’s nose and bring it up to your face. Give the “Good Dog” sign (I use thumbs up) and reward with the treat. Every time your dog is looking at you, give the thumbs up. As your dog gets the idea, sign “Watch me” (I point to my left eye with my left index finger) as they are doing it, then sign “Good Dog” and reward. Doing this teaches your dog what the “Watch me” sign means. Be quick and reward immediately.

You can also put a treat/toy in your hand and put it behind your back. Wait until your dog stops looking for the treat/toy and looks at your face. Immediately sign “Yes!” and give them a treat.

Since your dog now knows it’s worth their while to watch, you can start teaching them basic obedience.
HAVE FUN!!Remember your deaf dog can do anything a hearing dog can do but hear.

Patricia / Tn Safety Spotters

My partener did not like jackrussels for some reason at£150 which is what i could afford.

so I spent ages looking on all the sites being terribly dissapointed .

Then i went on preloved and we now have a gorgeous little Jorkie or Yorky/russel or yorky/ jack whatever she is, she is tiny and loads of fun,
she has all the colouring ot a yorkie but a slightly longer face. owner wanted £200 but got her for £150 as she was last in litter.

This information has given me a little more insight on them, though. And it’s interesting that they keep insects down. That’s always a plus. I can’t stand insects inside my house.

Martins, like all swallows, are aerial insectivores. They eat only flying insects, which they catch in flight. Their diet is diverse, including dragonflies, damselflies, flies, midges, mayflies, stinkbugs, leafhoppers, Japanese beetles, June bugs, butterflies, moths, grasshoppers, cicadas, bees, wasps, flying ants, and ballooning spiders. Martins are not, however, prodigious consumers of mosquitoes as is so often claimed by companies that manufacture martin housing. An intensive 7-year diet study conducted at PMCA headquarters in Edinboro, PA, failed to find a single mosquito among the 500 diet samples collected from parent martins bringing beakfuls of insects to their young. The samples were collected from martins during all hours of the day, all season long, and in numerous habitats, including mosquito-infested ones. Purple Martins and freshwater mosquitoes rarely ever cross paths. Martins are daytime feeders, and feed high in the sky; mosquitoes, on the other hand, stay low in damp places during daylight hours, or only come out at night.

Recommended, these things *DO* work, no more

cat c**p to clean up anymore
Rating: 4 / 5

Update: 2 months later: After a couple of weeks the prodct started making a little noise when activated like perhaps the speaker had blown– I called Contech- they were very helpful and promptly sent a replacement unit at no charge. I also added the AC adapter they offered because ours gets a workout being at the front door. While waiting for the replacement to arrive, I changed the battery and the noise went away- so I returned the replacement to Contech.
Rating: 5 / 5

When I purchased this device a year ago to fend off hordes of neighboring cats who found our yard to be a perfect litter box, I expected immediate results. I just wanted to see my yard completely cat-free the next day or at least in a week, but I had no such luck.

The problem is not poor functioning or ineffectiveness of the device, the problem is the nature of cats – they are incredible creatures of habit and it takes a very long time to brake those established habits. So, if you think that this device will miraculously get rid of the cats in a day or in a month – you will be disappointed, the cats are extremely persistent.

Once I learned this, I started methodically moving the device from one corner of the yard to another and kept it at every new location for several weeks until cats stopped going there. Of course they found a different spot in my yard, and I moved the device there, and so on.

I think that the main idea is to leave the device in one spot for a long period of time (at least a few weeks) which teaches the cat that this place is always off limits and they stop going there. In the course of nine months I have moved the devise consistently following the patterns of favorite cat passages. At times I was losing all hope but my persistence has been rewarded – our yard is cat free, but I am not putting the device away, I keep using it as a precautionary measure.

I am very satisfied with this product.

Rating: 5 / 5

First of all, I begin by saying, the mat works. There is no question about it. However how well it works, and where, and to what degree are all the variables that depend on YOU, the user as well as on the subject, your PET, cat or dog.

Tall/Smart Dog

I had a 40 lb bulldog (a temporary house guest) who was quite tall (even for bulldogs, because I think he is mixed) and the dog was able to jump over a scat mat I placed in a doorway. It was only the second time the bulldog encountered the mat, and he was smart enough to know what to do. He took one leap and was already in the other room (where the Christmas tree, which I was trying to protect, was located). Therefore in the case of taller dogs (especially the ones that know how to jump very well) you may need to set down two mats (one next to another) rather than just one mat, to increase the surface area of the mat – that way the dog will never try to jump it.

Smart but Short Legged and Lazy Dog

My own bulldog, who is also 40 lbs but short and stumpy and lazy, NEVER tries anything with the mat in the same doorway. (Please not when you place mat in doorway it needs to completely cover the entire entrance – if there is space for the dog to get through without stepping on the mat, he or she will try it). When the mat is in the door way, it doesn’t matter if there is a steak on the other side of the mat, my short legged bulldog will not even bother to try to go on, or near it. So that mat is a GREAT alternative to pet gates, which are usually made very poorly anyways that you end up breaking it. Your home also looks so much better without an ugly pet gate as. The mat is simple, and sweet, and your dog will never touch it and you yourself will just have to step over it so it is great in doorways or right below the stairs, like when/if you don’t want your dog to go upstairs). However make sure you tell guests right when they get in the house about the mat because someone will always step on it and while it won’t hurt them, it might be a little embarrassing – I had a house guest who was so startled by the mat shock, he said a bad word very loud, and I had to contain myself from laughing.

Couch Hogging

My bulldog was also taking over our family room couch (and this guy is pretty spoiled, he has his own personal trainer and when her numerous suggestions didn’t work), so we left mats on the couch and he never goes on the couch anymore. However keep in mind, the couch has to completely covered, because the dog will go on any areas large enough that was left uncovered on the couch . We have a large sectional and we use two large mats on each side. You also have to make sure that if the dog isn’t allowed on the couch, he has another desirable place to rest his head (this is the interest of training, so that one day even without the mats, the dog will no longer go on the couch, and use his own bed).

Smart Small Dogs

My neighbor has a small tiny dog (mixed breed) and I sometimes babysit her, and this gave me insight on the use of scat mat on small dogs. It actually works better on them. With bulldogs, they have high threshold for pain, and it takes them a good 3/4 seconds to actually realize the scat mat for what it is. However for small dogs they will approach it, yelp from the surprise of shock and will never ever go near it. With bulldogs, they don’t even make a sound after touching the mat so the high setting is recommended. However for small dogs, low or medium setting is fine. Plus you will not need the large size of the mat for small dogs, unless you want to make sure to cover a large surface area.

Puppies

The only reservations I have about the scat mat is its use on puppies. I just would not do it. It maybe too young for them to experience something alarming or surprising and it may impair their emotional development or trust towards you or your household so buyers if you want to train a puppy, consult a trainer and use treats and positive vs negative methods. DO NOT USE THIS DEVICE ON PUPPIES. I think this mat is more for matured dogs, whose ingrown habits you are trying to break. For instance, my bulldog took over the couch because my boyfriend kept letting him get on it and watch TV with him, and soon the entire couch was his and it got all smelly and gross so I used these mats to sort of wean him away from it, by preventing access, and giving him another comfortable place. Whenever the scat mat is not on the couch (temporarily, like when I have guests, my dog will still try to get on it but it’s only been a few weeks so I think it will make some time. Puppies will always go on couches too for comfort but be strict about the couch issue (either they are allowed or they are not) while the puppy is young and it will solve the problem but it is necessary to use the scat mat for anything regarding training puppies – if you consult a certified trainer you can practically teach a puppy to do anything. When I say puppies, I am referring to a pet under 1 year of age or less. DO NOT USE SCAT MAT ESPECIALLY ON VERY YOUNG WEEK OLD PUPPIES I CANNOT ADVOCATE THIS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.

Cats

I looked after my best friend’s cat and he was exposed to the scat mat. He took a few steps, got shocked and never even went downstairs ever again (where the mats are located in the house). However the cat is a rescue and he is very hostile and angry and has little confidence so I am not sure if the scat mat was what caused this extreme/over reaction or if the cat’s personality contributed to it. I don’t know much about cats, but this was the kind of cat that if you touched him, he will actually bite your hand. My dog also stays downstairs in the house so I don’t know if it is because of the scat mats or dog that the cat refuses to venture to the first floor of the house. However I have heard that scat mats are great for kitchen counters when it comes to cats, who gets on them to access food, but I don’t know enough about cats at all to tell you how they will do with scat mats. Whatever the case, you will have to know your cat or dog well enough to know if the scat mat will work or not.

Inhumane or Not?

After using and trying the mat out for some time, I also concluded that it is not inhumane (IF USED ON ADULT DOGS AND CATS), and here’s why – people touch the device and say things like “it is too powerful, etc”. but they forget that their animals are actually very highly intelligent. A dog or a car will only ever really feel a scat mat once or twice, and will NEVER go near it again. In my household, the ones that keep getting shocked are actually the humans because we leave it in the door ways, and on the couch and everyone forgets about it and either keep stepping on it, or sitting on it. So this device isn’t an pain inflictor (maybe to yourself) but not to your animals – once they felt it they are over it, they will never go near it again. The pain is also psychology (almost tingly in fact and not physically harmful, I would know about this very well because I’ll come downstairs all sleepy and sometimes forgets and stands on the mat for about a good 5/6 seconds). My friend told me about a lady whose standard Poodles were so tall they were getting food from kitchen counter tops it got so bad the owner had to put mouse traps on the counters – now THAT is what I call inhumane, and sheer desperation. I had to tell my friend to tell the lady about scat mats.

I recently bought two scat mats and I use it in a door way to prevent my dog from messing with the Christmas tree, and another one below a shelf (where my dog was getting DVDs off of and biting them into pieces). I had to switch these two mats around to go on the couch as well so today I am getting another two to use solely for couch so it can stay put there, and my dog learns the entire thing is off limits, all day everyday. However I anticipate many people (humans) including myself accidently experiencing the “shock” value of the mats in my household than my dog (who is obviously smarter than us) ever will.

I hope this review has been helpful to you, and again I would like to reiterate my point not to use the scat mat nor any other “devices” on young puppies – they can easily be trained with treats and repeating good habits and positive or negative reinforcements.
Rating: 5 / 5